Picture Storybook Annotations

Picture Storybook Annotations


Mia’s Picks! Below is a list of some of my favorite picture storybooks.
If I were teaching this course in a traditional classroom, I would bring each of these books to class during our discussion of picture storybooks, and read as many of them to you as possible. I would give you time to examine the books yourselves, asking you to pay particular attention to the artwork, the richness of the stories, and the themes in these picture storybooks. Since this is an online course, the best I can do is to give you a list of my favorite picture storybooks, complete with a picture of the cover from the Amazon.com site, and my description of the book.




Mia’s Pick!
The Bear that Heard Crying by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

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This incredible story is based on a true story (so I learned from reading the author’s note). A three-year-old girl becomes lost in the woods as she attempts to follow her parents who are headed out for a walk without her. The little girl is missing for three days. The searchers fear the worst, as three days is a long time for a young girl to be alone in the woods. What they do not know is that a bear finds the little girl, and spends each night snuggling with the girl to keep her warm and safe. When the searchers finally do find her, they see the area covered in bear foot-prints. The little girl who does not realize that her companion is a bear, tells the story of a big brown dog that kept her warm while she slept each night.



Mia’s Pick!

Bottle Houses: The Creative World of Grandma Prisbrey by Melissa Eskridge Slaymaker

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Grandma Prisbrey is a collector. For most of her life she travels around in a trailer, collecting small treasures, such as pencils, from the places she has been. Grandma Prisbrey is also the quintessential recycler. When she finally does settle down, she is determined to find a use for all of the lovely bottles she has collected. So she gets some concrete and her bottles and begins to build. She builds sculpture and she builds houses. When she runs out of bottles, she goes to the dump to find more bottles. A contemporary artist, what she builds is beautiful. This book so engages the reader that it makes you want to build your own bottle sculpture. This is another book where the author’s note is worth reading!



Mia’s Pick!

Lynn Plourde

• School Picture Day
• Teacher Appreciation Day
• Pajama Day
• Book Fair Day

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Mrs. Shepherd, the quintessential elementary teacher, with her gentle and warm approach, embraces all of the children in the class, even the quirky ones. These books focus on the quirkiness of children, and the children’s names describe their personality. Names such as Maybella Jean Wishywashy for a very indecisive little girl, Drew A. Blank for a forgetful little boy, and Josephina Caroleena Whatasheena for a little girl who likes to tinker with machines.

Little poems relay the child’s thoughts, such as when Maybella is trying to decide which food to buy to honor her most special teacher: “Eeny, meeny, miney, moos, So many foods, How can I choose.”

The pictures depict the silliness of the characters, and are the perfect accompaniment to the stories.


Mia’s Pick!

Mo Willems Pigeon Books

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This pigeon behaves an awful lot like an impish child, as he begs to drive the bus and then laments, “I never get to do anything.” Children love these ‘Pigeon’ books, as is evident in the worn bindings and pages for all Pigeon books in the Glover Elementary School library. Simple words, simple story, and simple pictures paint a vivid picture that children relate to. ‘You’ the reader have been asked by the bus driver to make sure that the Pigeon does not drive the bus, and you are the one the Pigeon is speaking to throughout the story. Pigeon begs to drive the bus, offering to sit on your lap and man the steering wheel, as you control the pedals. This draws you the reader, the child, into the book, makes you part of the action.

In Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late you have been asked to make sure the Pigeon does not stay up late. Pigeon tries everything he can think of to change your mind. With drooping eyes he says, “But I am not even tired.” The tactics Pigeon employs are quite advanced, drawing on what he believes are your weaknesses, “But we never get to talk anymore…” or “Tell me about your day.“ Who wouldn’t want a chance just to chat with their Pigeon? “But it is educational…” he argues, when asking to watch just one more program on television. Last final act of desperation, "I need a glass of water."

Other Pigeon Books by Mo Willems:

• Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late
• The Pigeon Wants a Puppy
• The Pigeon Finds a Dog
• The Pigeon Has Feelings Too
• The Pigeon Loves Things to Do
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive a Bus

Mia’s Pick!

Journey Around Boston A-Z by Martha Day Zschock

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A duck leads the tour. The lovely drawings depict actual places in Boston that a child might see on a city tour. This book is several different types of books wrapped into one: ABC book, historical reference book, an entertaining tidbit book.

Such tidbits as “Proper Boston children were once expected to be able to translate the Latin names posted on trees in Boston Common.”

Children love this book. There are several other Journey Around books (California, New York) and the children clamor for them during library time. These books allow children to learn about a familiar place, such as Boston, or one they might not know, on a level that is comfortable to them. A child can first use this book as a simple ABC book, but as she grows, she can use this book to learn about the city.



Mia’s Pick!

Charlotte Zolotow The Quarreling Book Pictures by Arnold Lobel

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The day starts out rainy and dad's going to work with a grumpy look on his face. Dad forgets to kiss mum goodbye on his way out the door which makes mum “quite cross.” She takes it out on son Jonathan and yells at him about his choice of a shirt for the day. Jonathan feels he is being treated unfairly and takes it out on sister Sally. Sally takes takes it out on her friend Marjorie, making fun of her raincoat, and Marjorie is then mean to her brother Eddie, who is mean to his dog.

The dog provides a turning point as he doesn’t notice the rain, and wrestles with Eddie and licks his face until he makes him laugh. Eddie then makes Marjorie smile, who phones Sally and makes Sally smile, who then cheers up Jonathan, who then makes Mum laugh. And when dad comes home, the sun is shining and dad gives Mum an extra big kiss.

This simple little book, simple story line, simple pictures, tells a big story about how our mood influences our actions, and how our actions impact those around us. This is a story that children (and adults) relate to. The happy ending shows that forgiveness is possible with friends and family, and that sometimes all it takes is a simple event (forgetting a kiss, or the actions of a pup) to turn things around.



Mia’s Pick!

Rosemary Wells Max, McDuff, Max and Ruby

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Ruby, a mature, organized, tidy and talkative young bunny is a stark contrast to Max, who is Ruby’s mostly silent (except for his sound effects), playful, messy, sweet and slightly mischievous little brother. Many of the Max and Ruby tales revolve around Ruby trying to carry out one of her carefully constructed plans, such as to bake a cake, or to host a tea party for her girl friends, or to throw a birthday party for her grandmother, or to clean Max’s room, and Max’s innocent attempts at foiling her plans (such as when his ants escape from the ant farm during Ruby’s proper tea party). The pictures capture Ruby’s gentle consternation as she struggles to make everything perfect and Max’s impish grin as he attempts to carry out his own plans (which more often than not conflict with Ruby’s). Children find these books hysterically funny; adults find them sweet and fun to read.

Another of Well’s popular characters is the dog McDuff, who draws attention to everyday issues, such as dogs being dogs and families being families, only in these tales, McDuff ends up the hero, as he saves the day, or event, or party.




Mia’s Pick!

Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watts

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These books chronicle the fears and activities of a little squirrel. Children love these books, and I think it is because the book deals with fears and concerns that many children have too, such as fear of being bitten by an animal, or worry over finding friends. This little squirrel also engages in activities that children love, such as making plans, and maps, and handling unexpected situations.









Mia’s Pick!

The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg

Chris Van Allsburg is an author to know. He has written some wonderful stories, such as the Polar Express (a haunting Christmas story), The Wreck of the Zephyr (a story about a little boy lost at sea in his little sailboat), and The Stranger. Many of Van Allsburg’s books are illustrated with haunting pictures and tell haunting tales, that teeter on that line between truth and fantasy, leaving the reader asking whether the story could possibly be true.

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In the story The Stranger a stranger enters the story when a farmer accidentally hits him with his car. The stranger is hurt but not killed, and the farmer takes the man home to have him checked out by a doctor. This establishes the time frame of this story to be somewhere in the past, during a time when doctors made house calls. The stranger does not speak, and appears perplexed at everyday objects. The doctor determines that the impact from the car must have affected his memory, and that after some rest, he should return to normal. So the man stays on with the farmer and his family to recover. The stranger never does speak, and we never find out who the stranger is, it appears that his memory never returns, but he has a profound effect on the farmer and his family, and on the leaves in the family yard. This mysterious tale leaves one wondering about this stranger, where he came from, and, where he eventually goes in the end.




Mia’s Pick!

Janet Morgan Stoeke Minerva Louise

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Minerva Louise is a chicken who stumbles into human places on her walks and interprets the places as objects from her chicken world. For example on one walk, she finds herself in a schoolhouse, and Minerva Louise thinks she has found a new red barn. To Minerva Louise Christmas lights are fireflies, children are farmers, an Easter basket is a hat, a decorated Easter egg is a baby chick egg who is looking for its mother. In the story Minerva Louise and the Colorful Eggs, Minerva Louise unwittingly goes on an Easter egg hunt, and gathers all of the decorated eggs in an effort to return the lost chick eggs to their mother. These stories draw their humor from ML’s misunderstandings of the human world.




Mia’s Pick!

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

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The lead character is a Siamese cat who likes to sleep with the baby birds in their nest, much to his mothers chagrin. Skippyjon Jones does not behave as his mother feels a proper cat ought to behave (cats should catch birds, not sleep with them). Skippyjon is regularly sent to his room to think about what it means to be a cat, and this is where the adventures begin. These books are filled with songs and silliness. The stories end with Skippyjon Jones singing, “Oh I’m Skippyjon Jones with a mind of my own, and I’ll bounce on my bed for hours. I know I’m a cat, but forget about that.” This cat is not afraid to be himself. He does not cave to pressure to behave as everyone else does.



Mia’s Pick!

No David, Alice the Fairy, Too Many Toys, Bad Case of Stripes (and more!) by David Shannon

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David Shannon is an example of a children’s author who has captured the essence of children being children. David (the lead character for all of the David books) is naughty, but loveable. Alice (the main character in Alice the Fairy) truly believes that she is a fairy, and in Too Many Toys, a mother makes an attempt to purge the playroom of unused toys, but as Spencer looks up with huge sad brown eyes with a look of desperation on his face, every toy suddenly becomes his most treasured possession. As Spencer and his mother debate which toys stay and which go, Spencer proves to be quite adept at arguing his case.




Mia’s Pick!

Michael Rosen We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

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The illustrations artfully depict the excitement that family feels as they set off on their adventure, how they overcome the challenges they face, the terror when they achieve their goal (they find a bear), and the joy as they realize they are home, safe and sound, from their adventure. Repetition is the modus operandi in this story, as we travel with the family over the marsh, through the woods, and across the stream to find a bear, and they are surprised and frightened when they actually do find a bear. It takes most of the book to get the family to the bear, and less than a page to get them home as they race back as quickly as they can.



Mia’s Pick!

The Dot by Peter Reynolds

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This could very well be my favorite story. This is the story of a little girl, Vashti, who struggles to find her artistic voice, and when she does, she discovers a side of herself that she did not know was there. Vashti’s teacher asks the class to draw, and Vashti stubbornly refuses to even try to draw. She cannot draw, so she says, so she will not even try. Finally, in a huff, she puts a tiny dot on a piece of paper, and shoves it at her teacher. “There” she says. Her teacher looks thoughtfully at the drawing, and then hands it back to Vashti, and says, “Now sign it.” Surprised, Vashti adds her name to her drawing, and as she does, a new perspective begins to unfold for Vashti. She wants to make more dots, bigger ones, smaller ones, and colorful ones. She becomes quite the talk of the school, as a young boy looks admiringly up to her, wishing that he too, could draw so well. He makes a small mark on a piece of paper, and shows it to Vashti as evidence that he cannot draw. Vashti takes the drawing, looks thoughtfully at it, and says, “Now sign it.” I love this turn of events-where Vashti finds herself in the role of teacher, and finds in herself, an artistic voice that she uses to express herself.

Another book by this author is called The North Star
In this book a baby begins a journey and discovers many things and guidance along the way. This is clearly a metaphor for life that may be lost on some children, but not all. This is a story about finding your way in the world.




Mia’s Pick!

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Illustrated by Michael Martchenko

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The story begins with a princess who has everything and then quickly loses everything when a fiery dragon burns down the castle and all of her possessions, and makes off with the handsome prince. Furious, she set out dressed in the only thing that was not destroyed by the fire, a paper bag, to track the dragon, which turns out to be quite easy to do as she only has to follow the charred path and remnants from her castle. The princess outwits the fierce and fiery dragon and rescues the prince, who as it turns out, is not at all happy to see her looking so messy and dressed in a paper bag. He suggests she returns when she looks presentable. She realizes that he is a superficial bum, end of story. Despite the simple drawings, this is more than a simple princess story-the princess does live happily ever after, but that might very well be because she loses the superficial prince before she gets trapped in a loveless marriage.





Mia’s Pick!

Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk

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A story about a little mouse name Sam who lives in the library and comes out of his hole after the children have gone home and then he spends his nights reading. He begins to write his own books, which the librarian finds and reads to the children. She then catalogs and shelves these little treasures. The children love his books and want to meet the author-which introduces the conflict in the story. What will the children and librarian think if they realize the author is a mouse?






Mia’s Pick!

Playing War by Kathy Beckwith

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Terrifying account of a little boy, Sameer, who refuses to play war with the other children, as it turns out, it is because before he came to live in the United States he was in a real war. His house was destroyed and his whole family was killed. The children are deeply affected by Sameer’s tale, and the following day they return to their usual game of basketball.







Mia’s Pick!

My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits

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A little girl adjusts to school and language in a new country. As the teacher encourages her to write her name, Yoon, she instead retreats behind other words, cat, cupcake, she can not yet put herself, her real self, in this new place. It takes finally being able to connect with the other children that she is willing to write her name, thus placing herself in the context of her new life.





Mia’s Pick!

One by Kathryn Otoshi

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A story about bullying and how it only takes one to stand up for something to make a change….









Mia’s Pick!

Beethoven Lives Upstairs by Barbara Nichols

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This story is told in the form of letters from a young boy named Christian to his father, about the strange man that is renting the upstairs room in the house. The story mixes fact and fiction into a slice of the composers life.
Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O’Malley
Fairy tale gone awry when two children who are forced to work together on a project cannot agree on what story to tell the class, so they improvise, and each tell their own story. The result is a mixed up fairy tale with and without the happily ever afters.




Mia’s Pick!

The Spooky Book by Steve Patschke Illustrated by Matthew Mc Elligott

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This story takes place on a stormy night as a little boy reads a spooky book, and notices that what he is reading is actually happening.







Mia’s Pick!

Zin! Zin! ZIn! A Violin by Lloyd Mass

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Book begins with a “mournful moan and silken tone” as a man plays on “one trombone.” One by one the instruments join in, swirly fabulous pictures of musicians playing their instruments sets the mood for this book.

A child is exposed to each piece in an orchestra and then to the whole sound, as the instruments enter the story, each adding its own sound.

“The strings all soar, the reeds implore, the brasses roar, with notes galore. It’s music that we all adore it’s what we go to concerts for.”




Mia’s Pick!

Lost by David McPhail

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David McPhail has written many wonderful books for children. His book Lost is about a bear that falls asleep on a snack truck and wakes up lost in the big city. A sweet little boy tries to help the bear find his home, which the bear describes as a place with water and trees. First they try the park where they have fun, but it is not his home. Then they go to the library and the bear quickly identifies his home on the map. They take the bus and the beer finds home, only, now the little boy is lost. So the bear helps him get home.



David McPhail's newest book is No!

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A small boy goes to mail a letter-surrounded by a city that appears to be in the midst of war. When he gets to the post box, a bully will not let him mail the letter. The boy says, “No!” and refuses to be intimidated. With this word the story changes, as do the events around him. The war vehicles turn into gift caravans for the children.

McPhail has written many books that children love about pirates and bears and children.




Mia’s Pick

Little Bear Books by Martin Waddell

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What strikes me about the Little Bear books is how Waddell has masterfully translated the warmth and caring of a parent and child to the relationship between Little Bear and Big Bear. Little Bear tries to get Big Bear involved in his antics, and sometimes he is successful, as when he is trying to get to sleep, but he just can’t because the bear cave is just too dark. Big Bear patiently makes the cave lighter and lighter, trying to make Little Bear feel safe and snuggly in his bed, despite his own attempts at getting to the good part in his book. In other stories, Big Bear is busy and Little Bear has to amuse himself. At these times, Little Bear might make his own snuggly cave to hang out in, or he might shadow Big Bear, helping Big Bear to finish his work.


Mia’s Pick

The Paper Princess by Elisa Kleven

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One of my favorite children’s stories, the Paper Princess draws on the ability of children to create their own magical friends with a piece of paper and some crayons. In this story a little girl colors a princess, and as she is deciding what kind of hair to give the princess, the princess is swept away in a gust of wind. “Come back” the little girl calls, “I’m not finished with you yet!” The princess tries to get back but cannot fight the wind, and she floats off on an adventure of her own, wondering, “What kind of hair should I give myself?” The princess begins her journey excited by the adventure, but then is eager to return to the little girl who made her. The pictures in this book bring the little paper doll to life-they depict the grand adventures, as the paper princess takes a ride on ferris wheel, peeks into the windows of homes as she floats by, and is crumpled by a fresh little girl. To extend the children’s interaction with this story, you might consider having them color their own paper princesses or princes, and to send them off on their own paper doll adventure on the playground.



Mia’s Pick!

Library Lion Michelle Knudson and Kevin Hawkes

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Now this is my favorite….one day a lion strolls into the public library. At first everyone is frightened, but soon, they come to love the lion, and appreciate what a good helper he is. The library director, in particular, comes to love and rely on the lion, and he is welcome to stay as long as he does not break the rules of the library (no loud voices, no running). One day, he must use his loud voice when the library director falls from a ladder and gets hurt. She needs help, and the lion must get the attention of the one person in the library who has not yet come to appreciate his presence. After roaring his loudest roar, the lion knows he must now leave the library, as he has broken the rules. I used this book as part of a lesson, that incorporated art and music. After reading the story to the children, I handed out precut lion shapes, which the children decorated with markers, and cut pieces of yarn (for the mane). Once the art projects were completed, we paraded with our lions through the halls of the school singing one of the songs from the movie The Lion King (In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight....).




Mia’s Pick!

Fartiste An Explosively Funny, Mostly True Story by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer

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About a flatulent musician/performer who wowed audiences with his ability to break wind….









Mia’s Pick!

Diary of a Spider (Diary of a Worm, Diary of a Fly) by Doreen Cronin and Illustrated by Harry Bliss

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A glimpse in diary form, of the life of a bug (or a worm, or a fly)









Mia’s Pick!

Lauren Child Charlie and Lola, Pesky Pat, Princess and the Pea, Clarice Bean books (What Planet are you From Clarice Bean is a CB picture book), Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad, Book

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Mia’s Pick!

Roxaboxen by Alice McLerrran and Illustrated by Barbara Cooney

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An imaginary town, Roxaboxen, made up of rocks and boxes, is the home for this story, which is made up as it goes along by a group of children who use their imaginations to create an adventure.I love this book because it captures the imaginative nature of children-this is the kind of world my own children will spend hours out in the yard creating.







Mia’s Pick!

The Red Book by Barbara Lehman

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This is a wordless story about a little girl who finds this book on her way to school, right away the little girl recognizes that she has found something quite extraordinary. When she opens the book she sees herself in the story,and soon she really is floating through the sky holding onto some helium balloons as was shown in the picture. She accidentally drops the book, and another child picks it up, and you can see that child finds her way into the story.







Mia’s Pick!

Flotsam by David Weisner

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A little boy with his magnifying glass and microscope is studying the life at the beach-he discovers an old fashioned camera, with film inside and he runs to the shop to have it developed. He discovers amazing pictures of other children who have also found the camera. He eventually snaps his own photo with the camera and returns it to the sea.

Also by David Wiesner

• Sector 7
• Tuesday
• June 29, 1999

Here are some more of Mia's Picks....

Nancy Carlson Henry’s 100 Days of Kindergarten

Celebrating the events that get celebrated in school, such as the first 100 days of school

Ruby the Copycat by Margaret Rathman

Ruby just wants to fit in and goes to great lengths to do so, and ends up annoying the little girl she is copying. She finally shows a shred of her own self, with her hidden hopping skill, and bravely tells the laughing class about it, which earns their admiration.

Patricia Polacco

Tackles the problems that many of us may not want to talk about, such as childhood cancer in her book The Lemonade Club.

And she tackles everyday events such as the joy of having a grandma to sit out under the night stars with and listen to stories that she tells at a family picnic.

The Graves Family is about getting to know an eccentric family.

Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor and Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glassner

Appeals to a little girls need to feel special…and how a little girl may be different than the rest of her family but still accepted and loved by them-try as she might, Nancy can never quite teach her family to be as fancy as she.

Pirate Bob by Kathryn Lasky Illustrated by David Clark

A pirate story complete with plundering and stealing gold and loot. In the midst is pirate Bob, who plunders and steals with the best of them, but then realizes that there may be more to life than plundering and stealing and hanging out with guys who are really not his friends. Someday, Bob hopes, he will have enough loot buried so that he can leave this life, and make some real friends, and then perhaps, Bob will be happy.

The Undone Fairy Tale by Ian Lendler and Whitney Martin

Begins as a typical fairy tale, with kings and towers, but then as the illustrator struggles to keep up with the author, he has to make some substitutions in his drawings, thus changing the story somewhat.

Tomie dePaola Strega Nona

Kevin Henkes Wemberley Worried, Julius Baby of the World, Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse

A master at zeroing in on children’s fears, worries, concerns

The Hello Goodbye Window by Norton Juster Illustrated by Chris Raschke

Susan Allen's Picks


The Babe and I

Written by David Adler
Illustrated by Terry Widener
Gulliver Books, Harcourt Brace and Company, New York, NY 1999
Ages 5-8

This story takes place in the Bronx during the depression. A young boy wakes up on his birthday and is disappointed when his only birthday gift is a small sum of change. His disappointment is soon overshadowed when he realizes that his dad, despite leaving the house dressed and with his briefcase every day, has lost his job. He discovers his father has resorted to selling apples on the street to help make ends meet for the family. The young boy becomes a “newsie” selling newspapers to help with the family finances. He and a friend discover it is easier to sell newspapers shouting out positive news; headlines about Ruth’s homerun streak. He eventually sells a newspaper to The Babe himself and has a chance to attend a Yankee’s game. In addition to being a sports themed book, this story highlights the relationship between the boy and his father and how important it is for families to stick together during tough times. It is a good book to share with children in our current economic times as it can share a lesson of compassion for individuals and families undergoing serious issues such as unemployment.

Enemy Pie

By Derek Munson

Illustrated by Tara Callahan King
Chronicle Books, Vancouver, BC 2000
Theme: Friendship
Ages 5-8

The young main character in the story is having the “best summer ever” until his one and only enemy moves into his neighborhood. Convinced he must do something about this situation he asks for help from his father who come up with a solution: enemy pie. The one condition for this solution to work is the young boy must spend a day with his enemy before serving him the enemy pie. After spending time together the two get along and he finds out that his enemy “wasn’t being a very good enemy” at all! This is a great story to teach young children the value in extending oneself to make a new friend. It can serve to teach them that having pre-conceived notions about peers they do not know well can prevent them from valuable friendships. It would be a good story to share at the beginning of the new school year. The illustrations draw the reader in and convey the changing emotions on the faces of the characters as their friendship develops.


Go Away Big Green Monster

by Ed Emberly

Little Brown & Company, 1992
Theme: Overcoming Fears
Ages 2-6

By flipping brightly colored die-cut pages, young readers are able to build a “scary” monster and then disassemble him right before their eyes! Although it doesn’t have a strong plot line the story uses commands such as “You Don’t Scare Me” to empower children who may be struggling with fears. It is a good choice for early readers to read on their own. Young children become part of the action as they gain control over the “monster”. It is a personal favorite of mine as it was used several times to overcome my own children’s bedtime fears!





Let's Do Nothing!
by

Tony Fucile
Candlewick Press, 2009
Theme:
Working Together, Using Imagination, Friendship
Ages 4-8

Frankie and Sal have played every game they can imagine. They think they've exhausted every option until Sal comes up with the novel idea of "doing nothing." Despite their greatest effortsdo just this, Frankie's imagination overrides every sincere endeavor, thereby making nothing into something. Finally, Sal comes up with a revelation that changes their day and makes it time to do....something! I chose this book because the children in my school voted it their favorite last year. The boys' sense of play is drawn so realistically in a way children can really relate to and their enthusiasm for doing either "nothing" or "something" is infectious. Children will laugh at Frankie's futile attempts to do nothing while reveling in the illustrations of his imagination. In the end, they learn that all you need to have a little fun is creativity, a good friend, and some imagination.

The Curious Garden
by Peter Brown
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009
Theme: Environmental Activism, Nature, Hard Work
Ages 4-8

Liam lives in a dreary town, void of much greenery or nature, until he one day discovers a few dying plants up on a defunct railway. With a little hard work and some research, Liam revives the plants and the plants respond in kind by "exploring" as far as they can travel in numerous forms. When Winter comes, Liam studies harder and though he encounters a dying garden yet again, it doesn't take much to make it and all of the other plants bloom again. Soon the plants have taken over the city, depositing in some unlikely places, and they are not the only thing growing. By the end of the book, the city and the reader are transformed by the small actions begun by Liam. The illustrations are both fanciful and delightful and Liam's passion for gardening is evident in the little notes emanating from his lips in some of his gardening pictures; he sings his plants to life! Readers will enjoy the physical transformation of the city between beginning and end and delight in the connection and community the plants' proliferation provide.

Crow Call

by Lois Lowry
Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
Scholastic Press, 2009
Theme: Father/Daughter Relationships, Connection, Communication,War
Ages 4-8
Early one November morning, Liz and her father, who has been away until recently at war, get in the car to start their day together. Liz is wearing the men's hunting shirt her father bought for her when she so desperately wanted it, a fitting garment for a day of hunting crow together. Liz is hesitant about hunting and so her father gives her a job--to call for the crow with a crow call. As the story progresses, Liz's apprehension about killing the birds becomes clear to both the reader and her father. By the end of the book, so much has been said between this father and daughter this day and yet very few words have been spoken. It's the actions of the characters that tell most of the story and convey all of the love these two characters have for each other in very moving terms. The illustrations show close ups of the characters together, bringing us into their intimate day with them, and we leave more grateful for our own special relationships and for all that we say without speaking. The story is a subtle commentary on war and a beautiful portrait of a father and daughter. Some of the subtleties of this book could be lost on younger readers, but it will still be an enjoyable story. Older readers will benefit from the inference skills required to eke out some of the meaning.


Susan Shatford's Picks


Auch, Mary Jane & Herm. The Princess and the Pizza. illus. by author. New York: Holiday House, 2002. Grade Levels: K- 3
This is a story about Princess Paulina and her father The King who decided to give up his position and become a wood-carver. Since Paulina missed the royal life, she eagerly went to a neighboring castle and found herself in a contest to marry the Queen’s son. This humorous book set in medieval time pokes fun at traditional princesses through its use of strong characters, familiar situations, gender stereotypes, and modern language. (e.g. Paulina’s familiar phrase, “Oh, for Pete’s sake.”) Paulina is lovable, yet somewhat outspoken while also being resilient not to mention creative when dealing with the situations in her life. Paulina becomes empowered and proves that you don’t have to marry the prince to live happily ever after.



Frazee, Marla. A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. illus. by author. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc, 2008. Grade Levels: K-3
James met his friend, Eamon, at Eamon’s grandparent’s house. They were both spending a week of summer vacation there while attending a nature camp. From James’ showing up with a couple of things (everything from home) to Grandpa Bill’s interest (extreme obsession) with penguins and everything Antarctica, the two boys spent the week together making their own fun in everything they did. The text provides a wonderful story of friendship and the adventures two boys encounter while the illustrations magnify and add depth to the humor in each page.



St. George, Judith. So You Want To Be President? illus. by David Small. New York: Philomel Books, 2004. Grade Levels: 4-8
This picture storybook depicts the presidents as caricatures of themselves while providing many fun and interesting facts and anecdotes. Did you know that James Monroe ordered so many things for the White House that it took 93 crates while frugal William Harrison took his own basket to market each day? This book compares our former presidents by first names, prior careers, musical ability, first homes, and number of siblings among other subjects. One common theme is that those individuals who did the job well, put our country and its people above all else.

Britt Sorensen's Picks

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. Illustrated by Mary Azarian.

New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Grade Levels: 3-6.

This picture storybook is about Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley, the first person to photograph snowflakes in great detail using a microscope and camera. Bentley's fascination with nature as a young child in Vermont continues to develop as he grows older and finally focuses on his life's work: to capture the beauty of snowflakes before they disappear. Although many Vermonters seem to take snow for granted, Bentley is determined to photograph individual flakes so that they may be shared with the world. The text is in two parts, with background facts being given alongside the main narrative. The illustrations and photographs enhance the story and give children a perspective on historical technology as well, as Bentley uses his enormous camera and entertains his neighbors with slide shows. The story of Wilson Bentley can be connected to many different areas of the curriculum (math, science, history, biography, and character education, to name a few) making this a very useful as well as entertaining picture storybook.

The Man Who Made Time Travel by Kathryn Lasky. Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes.

New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003. Grade Levels: 3-6.

The Man Who Made Time Travel is the story of John Harrison, a carpenter and self-taught mathematician who invented the first timepiece to accurately track longitude at sea. The concepts and vocabulary in this book are very sophisticated and are probably best suited for students in grades 5 or 6, but the illustrations would appeal to younger students even if they do not understand everything in the story. Harrison's efforts over 25 years to solve the longitude problem make an excellent example for older students learning about the scientific process and the importance of repeated trial and error involved in any new technological innovation. The injustice Harrison experiences when he is not awarded the Longitude Prize provides a meaningful discussion point about fairness, class, and discrimination throughout history. An especially useful book for teachers of geography and science at the upper elementary level.

We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow. Illustrated by Bob Staake.

New York: Random House, 2010. Grade Levels: K-3.

This picture storybook for younger children features whimsical, colorful illustrations and is written with repetition of the title phrase throughout the story. Families around the world in different types of homes are shown planting trees and benefiting from their shade, food, and beauty. The book has an environmental theme that is positive and simple for young students to understand. The book could also be used to teach about natural resources, as trees in some parts of the world are shown giving fruit, while others give sap for maple syrup. The interconnectedness of trees, humans, animals, and the earth is depicted without any of the darker environmental issues that can sometimes be too overwhelming or worrisome for younger children. This is a great picture storybook for Earth Day, a unit on trees, or any type of environmental study with students in the primary grades.

Lauren R.'s picks:
Harker, Jillian. On My Own. Bath, UK: Parragon Publishing Book, 2004.
Illustrated by Louise Gardner, grade levels: pre-school – 2nd grade

On My Own

This book is about a monkey named Mungo who thinks he’s big enough to do things on his own. His mother says it is not safe to always do everything on one’s own. Mungo insists that he is not scared of the dangers in the jungle. At the end of the book, the one thing Mungo does not want to do on his own is go to bed. The colorful, cartoonish pictures add to the text and foreshadow possible dangers in the jungle, such as snakes, alligators, and lions, which are shown in pictures a few pages before they are mentioned in the text. Some of the font gets bigger to emphasize certain words and is curved in some places to animate the words. The language includes rhymes, such as “And into the velvety, starry sky drifted the sounds of a jungle lullaby.” The book will appeal to students since the theme of wanting to be independent resonates with children.

Numeroff, Laura. If You Give a Cat a Cupcake. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2008.
Illustrated by Felicia Bond, grade levels: pre-school- 2nd grade

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

This book is part of the series based on the book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. It is a circular story about a girl giving a cat a cupcake and the subsequent things that the cat wants, such as sprinkles to go along with the cupcake. The story consists of the girl running around to do the things that the cat wants, and it ends with the cat wanting a cupcake again. The detailed, colorful pictures engage the reader and enhance the story by illustrating details that are not included in the text. Children will like the added element of silliness that is provided by the pictures. For example, the pictures show that when the cat is given a bathing suit, the bathing suit is much too big for him, and when the cat is taken to the beach, the cat is wearing sunglasses and sipping a drink while the girl carries him on a boogie board. However, I thought that the book did not handle transitions from one event to another as well as the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie book did. For example, after the cat is taken to the gym, he randomly wants to go to the park. No logical reason is given for why the cat would want to go to the park after being at the gym. Even so, children will enjoy this silly, circular story.

Masterdon, Linda. We Love America! Franklin, TN: Precious Moments, Inc., 2009.
Illustrated by Samuel J. Butcher, grade levels: pre-school – 3rd grade

We Love America!

This book is about a boy named Marty who goes to a parade to celebrate American pride. He gives a little girl his special American flag when her balloon blows away, and a fireman lets him ride on the fire engine for the rest of the parade because of his kindness. The book ends with a picture of Marty pledging allegiance to the flag. This picture storybook could be used when students are learning about America and their community since its theme is patriotic and includes the message that anyone who is kind and helps others is an American hero. The pictures are detailed, but since the pictures are in pastel colors, they are not as attention-getting as pictures in bold colors. The text is also a bit small on the bottom of the pages. However, the pictures of the people in the parade include men and women with light and dark skin, which makes the book inclusive.

Elizabeth's Picks




Before You Were Mine
. Boelts, Maribeth. Illus. David Walker. New York: Putnam. 2008. Grades K-3. The key event in this book is the adoption of a new puppy by a young boy. Through simple illustrations and limited text, Boelts tells two stories, one about a young boy who has just adopted a puppy from a shelter, leading the boy to speculate on how the dog ended up in the shelter. Did his previous owner not understand that puppies chew things, have accidents, and need a lot of exercise and attention? Did the previous owner carelessly leave a gate open enabling the dog to escape and get lost? The second about the boy’s loss of his previous dog, a beloved older pet and how the boy did not think he could ever love another dog as much as his first dog. This book does a wonderful job of showing the special relationship people have with their pets, how hard it is to lose a pet, and the ability to open your heart and love a new pet. The author’s note adds depth and information by explaining the benefits of adopting dogs from shelters: one dog gets a new home and a new chance and another dog gets a shelter space that has been made available by the adoption of a dog.



Mr. Peabody’s Apples
. Madonna. Illus. Loren Long. New York: Callaway: Distributed in the U.S. by Viking Children’s Books. 2003. Grades K-3. The key event in this book is the accusation of stealing made against a beloved teacher by a boy who sees the teacher take an apple from a local fruit stand without paying for it. In the small town the rumor quickly spreads. The teacher, who coaches the local little league team, discovers the rumor when his team fails to show up for a practice. One brave boy tells the teacher what he has heard. The teacher instructs the boy who began the rumor to come to his house with a feather pillow. They go to the baseball field, where the teacher tells the boy to rip open the pillow and empty the feathers. In a strong breeze, the feathers scatter quickly and far. The teacher then explains that the boy must go and pick up all of the feathers and the boy is nonplussed. The task is impossible! The teacher explains that it would be just as impossible to undo the damage done by spreading the rumor that he is a thief and that each feather represents a person in town. The simple drawings in this book portray an idyllic small town and the message of the book is simple, but important and well made. An author’s dedication of the book to teachers explains that this story is based on a story that is 300 years old story meant to teach about the power of words. The author of the original story, the Baal Shem Tov – “Master of the Good Name” – was also a great teacher.




Ginger Bear
. Grey, Mini. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 2004. Grades K-3. This is the story of a gingerbread boy who is lovingly made by a little boy. Each time the boy tried to eat him mom has a new reason why he cannot: the cookie is too hot, it’s time for dinner, he has just brushed his teeth. Each, “No, Horace,” followed by the reason, is done in increasingly large bold typeface, showing Horace’s growing frustration. Horace puts the cookie on his pillow with plans to eat it the next day. During the night the cookie comes to life, bakes up a batch of “friends” and has a grand time creating a cookie circus with them until the family dog enters the kitchen and devours them all except Horace’s cookie, who manages to escape. Seeing how precarious the life of a cookie is, the cookie leaves Horace a note and sets off to find a safe place. He ends up in the display case of a bakery, where many of the goodies are in fact made of cardboard and he will never be eaten. The vivid drawings and varied type size and color provide a sense of adventure and do a wonderful job of conveying what it is like to be a child and want a cookie so much as well as the fanciful life of a cookie, which is often “short and sweet.”
Deborah's Picks!

DiPucchio, Kelly. Mrs. McBroom, Clean Up Your Classroom! Illus. by Guy Francis. New York: Hyperion Books, 2005 Gr.K-2. Mrs. McBloom has been a teacher at Knickerbocker Elementary School in Room Five for fifty years. During those years, Mrs. McBloom has collected stacks of books, years of science experiments, plants, animals, and a lot of clutter. On the top of her “To-Do” list for most of those years were the words: Clean up room. “See, it’s listed right here above Take a fancy-shmancy cruise”, Mrs. McBloom would say. Now Mrs. McBloom is going to retire and a new teacher will be taking her place. She must clean up her room, but how? Mrs. McBloom gives the assignment for the night’s homework: Come up with an idea to get Room 5 tidy. Be creative. Idea after idea was presented to the class the next day, one as crazy as the next until one of the students, Georgia Peachpit, came up with the best idea yet. Help Mrs. McBloom Clean Up Her Room Day invited the whole town to pick out one thing out of Room Five to take home and since she had taught just about everyone in the town of Up Yonder, they were all willing to help. They used the money raised from their town yard sale to send Mrs. McBloom on that “fancy-shmancy” cruise that was number two on her “To-Do” list. The story is fun and humorous. Readers will want to take time to explore the colorful and detailed illustrations full of numerous objects to be found on each page. The story shows readers what can be accomplished when a community works together.


Ziefert, Harriet. Birdhouse For Rent. Illus. Donald Dreifuss. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001 Gr.K-3. This is a story narrated in the first person by a birdhouse put in the ground at the beginning of July. At first, the birdhouse is vacant but as time goes by and the seasons pass, the birdhouse has many different tenants. In the summer, there are lots of birds, followed by wasps and squirrels in the fall. The winter is harsh and the birdhouse tells of its post snapping only to be fixed in the spring by the farmer. The birdhouse receives a new post and awaits new tenants. Next pair of chickadees decides to move in and the birdhouse tells us of how the days are spent by Mrs. Chickadee as she prepares her nest, lays her eggs, attends to her baby birds, and protects them from the menacing cat. After the last of the baby chickadees flies off, the birdhouse is left to wonder who the next tenants will be. Young readers will enjoy the vividly colored illustrations and the simple story of nature. This book can be used in a lesson of the changing seasons and the life cycle of animals.


Burgess, Mark. Where Teddy Bears Come From. Illus. Russell Ayto. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, LTD, 2009 Gr.K-3. It’s nighttime in the forest and not a creature is stirring except for the little gray wolf who despite his mother’s bedtime story and glass of milk, finds himself sleepless and longing for the one thing that can help him sleep: a teddy bear of his own. He decides to set out and find one but where do teddy bears come from? This is a magical, fairy tale type story which incorporates well known characters from fairy tales such as Little Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs. As the little gray wolf meets each of them, he asks the same question: Where do teddy bears come from? They can’t seem to get over the “big, bad wolf” image and don’t know the answer to his question. He finally comes across an old man in a red suit with a long, while beard (Any ideas?) with truck problems. The little wolf helps the old man by huffing and puffing air into his tire and finally returns home. The next day, the little wolf wakes to find a wrapped surprise at the foot of his bed. The story is a different kind of Christmas story that will enchant younger readers with its mix of new characters and already recognizable fairy tale characters. The colorful illustrations and use of triangular shapes add to the charm of this simple story of how helping someone brings rewards.


Heather's Picks :)

Hobbie, Holly. Fanny. New York: Little, Brown and Co., Hatchette Book Group, 2008.

Fanny desperately wants a “Connie Doll” (think Barbie or Brats Dolls). But her mother is not a fan of “Connie.” So Fanny makes her own doll and names her Annabelle. She adores Annabelle but when she introduces her to her friends and their Connie dolls, Fanny feels Annabelle's lack of glamor. For awhile Fanny puts Annabelle away. But Annabelle's charm and ebullient smile cannot be ignored. Fanny realizes she made this doll and loves her all the more for her uniqueness. In the hands of the wrong illustrator this story could come across as preachy and teachy, but the adorably gawky Fanny, with her tutu and sneakers, messy hair and glasses just draws the reader in. Parents will enjoy the juxtaposition of the glamorous, trendy dolls with their Paris Hilton expressions next to the cheerful homemade rag doll, Annabelle, with her beaming smile. The book is written for girls around 3-8 but its message of acceptance and inner-beauty along with it's plucky heroine just might make it appealing to girls (and women) of all ages! -- Heather Vandermillen


Bannerman, Helen. The story of Little Black Sambo illustrations by Christopher Bing. New York: Handprint Books, 2003.


Sambo is the story of a boy who runs across a series of tigers and is forced to surrender his clothes, shoes, umbrella in exchange for his life. Eventually the tigers start quarreling amongst themselves and Sambo takes this opportunity to grab his things and go! The tigers chase each other around a tree until they turn to butter. Sambo's father takes the butter home and his mother makes stacks of pancakes. Bannerman's story has all the qualities of a folk tale but it fell out of acceptance because the original illustrations and many subsequent illustrations had racist qualities. Illustrator Christopher Bing, who loved the story as a boy, set out to right the ills of the past and give the main character the dignity he deserved. And he succeeds. He uses Bannerman's text and her setting in India but the character of Sambo is African (as were many of it's racist predecessors) . His illustrations are beautiful. Bannerman's story is big on plot and doesn't give much character detail. But Bing's Sambo is full of life and curiosity while still clever and cautious enough to wait for the right moment to recoup his losses and then exit quietly. Bing's drawings are very realistic with just as much fantastical elements as the story requires; when you look at his rendering of a tiger carrying an umbrella you believe it could happen! The back has a very thoughtful discussion of the book and its earlier racist incarnations. -- Heather Vandermillen


Muth, Jon J. Stone Soup. New York Scholastic Press, 2003.


This is the retelling of the old folk tale reset in pre-industrialized China. Three Monks, Hok, Lok and Siew, visit a remote village that has fallen on hard times. The inhabitants have become suspicious and parsimonious because of their troubles. The Monks add some stones to a pot of hot water which they claim will make an excellent soup. With the help of some children they gradually engage the the villagers until each contributes something to the soup. In the end they all gather to eat and celebrate. Stone soup is often used in classroom lesson plans for young children to teach cooperation and can therefore seem a little tired. But Muth's illustrations are simply captivating and compliment the text. His setting has a fresh feel for parents and teachers who may have had a little too much stone soup over the years. Children will enjoy the feeling of being in a distant time and place but also relate to the children in the story. Overall the book has a very gentle quality that makes the reader slow down, look at the pictures and think about the story. The lesson comes through but is never force fed. -- Heather Vandermillen

Michelle's Picks:

How Groundhog’s Garden Grew is written and illustrated by Lynne Cherry. This book was published in 2003 by The Blue Sky Press. The story begins with Little Groundhog eating vegetables from a neighbor’s garden. Squirrel then comes alongs and tells Little Groundhog that the food he is eating does not belong to him. The balance of the story is about Squirrel showing Little Groundhog how to plant a garden from collecting seeds to harvesting the crop. The key event is Little Groundhog realizing that he is taking food that does not belong to him. The central theme of the story is helping others. Squirrel helps Little Groundhog grow a garden, and Little Groundhog helps all is friends by sharing his harvest with his friends at a Thanksgiving feast. The illustrations in this book are vibrant and on two-page spreads. The artwork is very realistic. I just wanted to take the vegetables right off the page and eat them!. This story would be for grades K-3.

The Magic Hat is written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Tricia Tusa. This book was published in 2002 by Voyager Books Harcourt, Inc. This would be an excellent story for grades K-2. It is about a magic blue hat that changes people into animals. But, don’t worry, the animals change back into people when the wizard appears “with a sign that said: STOP!” (the key event). The wizard is a giant, and the sign is just a normal stop sign. He leaves an egg, and out comes a giant chicken. The story ends with the wizard turning into a boy - he had the magic hat on after all. The central theme is that you need fun in your life. The illustrations make this story come alive, and the rhythm and repetition are perfect for early learners - and maybe not so early learners.



Ladybug Girl is written by Jacky Davis and illustrated by David Soman. It was published in 2008 by Scholastic, Inc. by David Somar and Jacky Davis. This would be a great story for grades K-2. Ladybug Girl is a “little” girl dressed like a ladybug who has to keep herself occupied for the day. Her brother says she’s too little to play baseball with him. To Ladybug Girl’s dismay, there is nothing to do, even though her room is covered with toys. She goes outside and her imagination allows her to be big. She moves a rock to help the ants pass by, she crosses a pond (a puddle) where a shark might exist, and she built a fort (a stone wall that put some loose rocks back on). She started the day feeling little, and ended the day feeling the opposite. The theme of the story is that you can do anything you want to do. You have the power to be Ladybug Girl too. I found the theme of this book so refreshing. Imagination can take you places, and I sometimes forget that. We can be anything we want to be. Tracy's Picks: Berry, Lynne. Illustrated by Nakata, Hiroe. Duck Skates. New York: Henry Holt and Company, LLC, 2005
Duck Skates follows five ducks as they wake up, get dressed, and enjoy a winter’s day. Prepared for the elements in their snowsuits and boots, the ducks march outside to enjoy a day of skating and snowball fights before heading home for cocoa and a cozy fire. While relaying the winter excursion of the five little ducks, Duck Skates introduces simple math concepts through imaginative rhyming verse. Children are shown that five ducks need ten boots (and ten feet), and the activities of the ducks often split them into smaller groups. The watercolor and ink illustrations add expression, playfulness, and warmth to the story and allow children the opportunity to count the ducks as they participate in their activities. Duck Skates is a good choice for cozy story time.
Kann, Victoria and Kann, Elizabeth. Illustrated by Kann, Victoria. Purplicious. New York:Scholastic Inc., 2007.Pinkalicious is in love with the color pink, so when her pink painting is ridiculed and her classmates inform her that pink is “over,” Pinkalicious is beside herself. At first, Pinkalicious remains loyal to her favorite color, but as she endures more teasing, her loyalty wavers, she gets the blues, and can’t even eat her favorite (pink) ice cream. A week after Pinkalicious’s ordeal began, she meets a girl in art class who, instead of thinking that pink is putrid, shows Pinkalicious that pink is powerful because it can turn blue into purple. Although it was a tough journey, Pinkalicious learned to remain true to herself. The ridicule and peer pressure that Pinkalicious endured made her feel isloated. She used her diary to express the feelings that she thought no one else would understand. Pinkalicious’s feelings of isolation bring her to the brink of casting pink aside, but she is shown the power of pink and remaining true to it.
Edwards, Richard. Illustrated by Winter, Susan. Good Night, Copycub. London:Frances Lincoln Limited, 2003.
Copycub is restless and having trouble falling asleep. To calm her fidgety cub, Copycub’s mother tells him the story of a moonlit walk taken by a mother bear and her cub. During this walk, the mother and cub encounter a goose, a moose, and a hare who are all fast asleep. Copycub finally falls asleep after taking his mother’s advice to think of the sleeping animals the bears happened upon during their walk and copy them. Good Night, Copycub is an excellent story to show children the power of imagination. The illustrations are warm and soft and show what Copycub pictures in his mind as his mother tells him of the bears’ journey. Copycub is also shown using a feather as a wing, a stick as antlers, and a leaf as an ear as he lets his imagination take him to sleep by imitating the goose, the moose, and the hare.